Hunter&#39;s coat

ABSTRACT

A hunter&#39;s coat made of waterproof and noiseless material, such as micro-fleece, especially adapted for waterfowl hunters and preferably in a camouflage design, with an insulated inner lining and a tailored action back and underarm gussets for a full range of motion in the arms and shoulders. A variety of customized storage compartments are designed for storage of specific gear and provide the hunter with easy access to the gear when needed, yet maintain the gear in a secure position when not in use. A game bag/pocket attached to the back of the coat carries the ducks and geese, freeing the hunter&#39;s hands for other uses. Two hand-warmer pockets are located at breastbone height to allow the hunter to warm his hands while wading in cold waist-deep or higher water. A specially designed dedicated shell pouch, a duck call pouch/pocket, and a call separator allow the hunter to readily access the particular item when needed, yet securely stow the item when not in use. Other pockets are designed to hold personal and emergency items, such as a license, keys, wireless telephone, and gloves.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] The present application derives priority from U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application 60/452,795 for “WATERFOWL HUNTER'S COAT”, filed Mar.13, 2003.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of the invention

[0003] The present invention relates generally to clothing for hunters,and more particularly, to a durable, waterproof and practical hunter'scoat having an array of specialized features and compartments to providespecial utility for hunters, and especially waterfowl, as well as turkeyand other game birds, deer, and game in general.

[0004] 2. Description of the Background

[0005] Hunters typically wear special-purpose camouflaged clothing sothat they blend in with their surroundings, thus being obscured from thevision of their prey. The prior art is replete with such clothing,including jump-suits, vests, jackets, and the like, all particularlydesigned for hunting.

[0006] Many prior art citations are drawn to specialized features. Forexample, U.S. Pat. No. 4,882,786 to Gross shows a hunting jacket thatincorporates an arm support for carrying a gun. The jacket includesvarious pockets and a gun pad on the front, and a sling-type forearmsupport on the inside of the jacket.

[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 6,182,291 to Garvey shows a hunting vest withreversible flaps on the front and the back. Each flap is detachable witha camouflage color on one side and hunter's orange on the other side sothat the hunter can display each side interchangeably. The front flapfolds over pockets for protection of the contents.

[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 3,337,101 to Tombari shows a hunting vest withoutside pockets for storage of shells, cartridges and the like.

[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 5,718,000 to Ost et al. shows a multi-compartment,modular jacket including a vest with a vest front panel, a vest rearpanel, a pair of armholes and a fastener for opening the vest. Aplurality of pockets cover the outer surface of the vest. The vest hasdetachable sleeves, an inner and outer jacket and a plurality ofpockets.

[0010] None of these prior art hunting garments are designedparticularly for hunting waterfowl (ducks, geese and the like), whichpresents a most difficult environment. This type of hunting often takesplace in standing water up to 50″ deep, and it carries with it aspecialized set of needs. For instance, waterfowl hunters typically haveone arm free (the other supporting a rifle) and yet must store and haveeasy access to many hunting implements including multiple duck calls,dog whistles, ammunition, etc. To illustrate one common scenario,suppose a hunter has just waded out on the marsh to retrieve a bird, andwith bird in hand he now needs to whistle for his dog. The hunter muststow the bird, zipper open a pocket and retrieve a whistle, all whilstcarrying his shotgun for duck and geese hunting. The same issues arisein the context of many other forms of hunting, including big gamehunting when carrying a rifle. Existing waterfowl coats typically offerno assistance for stowing the bird, and pocket closures are eithernon-existent exceedingly cumbersome to use one-handed (and when wet areimpossible), or are totally submerged while standing in waist-deepwater.

[0011] None of the known prior art offers a hunting jacket with a set ofspecifically designed receptacles for storing duck calls, shells, gamebirds and other related items, and with convenient single-hand access tosuch items even when wading in water waist-deep or higher.

[0012] It would be greatly advantageous to provide a warm, waterproof,practical, durable, and rugged hunter's coat specifically designed to beworn while hunting, and particularly when hunting waterfowl, with aplurality of features and storage compartments, each compartment beingspecifically designed for waterfowl-hunting with all of itsabove-described tribulations. The design of each compartment mustinclude special placement on the jacket to allow use in waist-deep orhigher water, as well as special closures to provide quick and easyaccess. Moreover, the compartments should be specially configured forsecure storage of hunting items, including duck calls, shells, slainwater fowl, etc. when these items are not needed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0013] It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide awarm and waterproof hunter's coat to be worn while hunting, andespecially when hunting waterfowl, preferably in a camouflage color toblend in with the surrounding environment.

[0014] It is another object to provide a hunter's coat suitable forwading, and with a variety of customized storage compartments designedfor secure storage while wading, yet with easy access when the storeditems are needed.

[0015] It is another object to provide a hunter's coat that holds slainbirds for transporting out of the marshes, which frees the hunter's handfor other purposes.

[0016] It is yet another object to provide a hunter's coat withdedicated outer shell pouches having hinges rather than zippers, therebyallowing them to remain in the open position, yet close securely, asneeded.

[0017] It is still another object to provide a hunter's coat with apocket for storing duck calls that are secured in place when not in use,but readily accessible when needed.

[0018] It is another object to provide a hunter's coat with a duck callseparator that maintains the primary and back-up calls separate andapart and easily accessible during the hunt.

[0019] It is yet another object to provide a hunter's coat that allowsthe hunter to warm his hands while standing in water and wearing waders.

[0020] According to the present invention, the above-described and otherobjects are accomplished by providing a hunting coat specificallydesigned to be worn by hunters of waterfowl. The coat may be insulatedfor warmth and includes a quiet waterproof shell material in acamouflage color design so that the coat blends in with the surroundingenvironment. A variety of customized storage compartments provide thehunter with easy access to specific gear when needed, yet maintain thegear in a secure position when not in use. A game bag/pocket attached tothe back of the jacket stores slain waterfowl while the hunter isreturning from the marshes, thereby keeping the hunter's hands free tocarry other gear. Two hand-warmer pockets are sewn high in the jacket atbreastbone height to allow the hunter to warm his hands while wading incold waist-deep or higher water, and particularly when the hunter wearschest-high waders over his coat and has no access to typical pockets. Adedicated shell pouch, located on the face of the cargo pocket, has aremovable hinge incorporated into its mouth so that it can remain in theopen position for ready access to the shells when needed, but snaps shutfor secure storage when not needed. A vertical duck call pouch/pocketlocated on the front center of the jacket has a magnet closure thatallows the hunter to quickly stow and retrieve the duck call as needed,yet secures the calls in place to prevent damage or loss of the calls.The pouch also serves to protect the call and call reeds from callfreeze. A duck call's reed can accumulate saliva. As a result, the coldand wind exposure causes the saliva to freeze on the reed preventingblowing the call. This pouch helps reduce the exposure to the coldreducing call/reed freeze. when the hunter is in motion. A duck callseparator attached to the coat above the call pocket maintains theprimary and back-up calls separate and apart during the hunt. Otherpockets are designed to hold personal and emergency items. For example,a zippered security pocket may be provided directly across from themagnetic duck call pouch/pocket for holding items such as a license,keys, a wireless telephone, and gloves.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Other objects, features, and advantages of the present inventionwill become more apparent from the following detailed description of thepreferred embodiment and certain modifications thereof when takentogether with the accompanying drawings in which:

[0022]FIG. 1 is a front view of the waterfowl hunter's coat according tothe present invention.

[0023]FIG. 2 is a rear view of the waterfowl hunter's coat.

[0024]FIG. 3 is a close-up view of the zippered pouch 50 as in FIG. 1,which is readily accessible from the outside of the coat.

[0025]FIG. 4 is is a close-up view of the call separator 90 as in FIG.1.

[0026]FIG. 5 is a close-up view of the game call pocket 80 as in FIG. 1,which is a pocket with lateral ingress closed by a hemmed flap with amagnetic snap closure 82.

[0027]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the hand-warmer pockets as in FIG.1 in use with waders.

[0028]FIG. 7 is a composite view of an exemplary shell pouch 30 as inFIG. 1 (shown full at A, empty and open at B, and partially disassembledat C).

[0029]FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the spring-biased hingeopener 72 as used in FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0030] The hunter's coat of the present invention includes an array offeatures and storage compartments, each compartment being specificallydesigned for hunting, and especially for hunting waterfowl or othergame. The features include special placement on the jacket, specializedclosures to provide quick and easy access, and a unique configurationfor secure storage of hunting items, including waterfowl duck calls,shells, slain water fowl, etc.

[0031]FIG. 1 is a front view of the hunter's coat 10 according to thepreferred embodiment of the present invention. The body of the hunter'scoat 10 is cut and sewn together from a pattern comprising discretefront and back panels, underarm gussets 74, arms 60, and collar, open atthe front and closable (preferably by a full zipper). The pattern itselfis a conventional parka pattern, slightly elongated so that the bottomof the coat is approximately at waist height, thereby generallypreventing the bottom of the coat from contacting water when the hunteris wading and wearing his coat outside his waders. For non-wadinghunting, the coat 10 may be longer than parka-length, as desired.Hunter's may also use the coat 10 while hunting in boats, or permanentblinds where wading is not involved, and yet conditions are otherwisethose of wetland areas. Preferably, the body of the waterfowl hunter'scoat 10 is formed in a two-ply configuration with an outer shell andinner lining. The outer shell is made from 100% waterproof andbreathable material, such as micro-fleece (a specially selected andcommercially-available non-pilling fleece fabric designed to eliminateweight and bulk). Material such as micro-fleece is preferred because itis a high-density and hence quiet fabric, i.e., it does not rustle ormake any other noise when the hunter moves, thus eliminating the risk ofthe ducks or geese hearing the movements of the hunter. Otherconventional materials such as Nylon™ may also be used. All outer seamsare taped to ensure complete waterproofing even in the strongestdownpour.

[0032] It is also critical for hunters to keep warm, such as waterfowlhunters while out in the cold wet marshes, and for this purpose thewater-proof outer shell may optionally be lined with insulation ofvarious weights. The insulation may be in the form of a sewn-in orzip-in/out reversible liner. Polyester is a good liner material becauseit is hydrophobic, meaning that it repels water. This ensures that theinsulation will not be affected by exposure to moisture and will notdecay. Alternatively, fleece, cotton, or other soft and warm liner maybe used.

[0033] Despite the need for warmth, it is essential to have freedom ofmovement in the arms and shoulders, to allow the hunter to quickly mounthis gun and aim at a fast flying bird. To accommodate this need, thecoat's underarm gussets 75 are specially tailored for unrestricted rangeof motion of the arms and shoulders and maximum comfort. The generousunderarm gussets 75 are oversized to allow full overhead extension ofboth arms.

[0034] The arms or sleeves of the waterfowl coat 10 continue to cuffs 64which are also specially-designed to be elastic. The elastic cuffs 64comprise an elastic collar sewn inside a stretchable fabric shell, thecuffs 64 then being sewn to the terminus of the arms of jacket 10. Eachcuff 64 is preferably made of a synthetic elastomer, such as Neoprene™,with stretchable fabric cover. The cuffs 64 fit snugly around thehunter's wrist, and the Neoprene™ collar prevents dripping water fromdecoys from getting inside the coat sleeve, while it retains the warmthand dryness on the inside of the sleeve. The sleeves of the waterfowlcoat 10 are encircled at their distal ends by an annular strap 62 withan adhesive gripping closure, such as Velcro® to loosen or tighten thestrap 62 around the cuffs 64 to the hunter's desired tightness.

[0035]FIG. 2 is a back view of the waterfowl hunter's coat 10 as inFIG. 1. In addition to the oversized gussets 75, the coat 10 is formedwith two bellowed pleats 77 each on opposite sides of the back of thecoat close to the shoulder blade area, running vertically up the rearwhich, in combination with the underarm gussets 75, allow for allow fulloverhead extension of both arms without restrictions or binding toprevent the jacket from being pulled up when shouldering a shotgun onoverhead shots.

[0036] Referring back to FIG. 1, an exemplary layout of customizedpockets and storage compartments will now be described. Two fleece-linedhand-warmer pockets 20 are located on opposing sides of the frontzipper. The hand-warmer pockets 20 open through the outer shell at thebreast into fleece-lined hand enclosures, and the opening of hand-warmerpockets 20 are angled within a range of from 15-20 degrees upward forupward insertion of the hunter's hands, and for comfortably warming hishands in a cross-chest posture while wading in cold waist-deep or higherwater. The angle is important because it facilitates the hunter's quickinsertion and removal of his hands when necessary. As described morefully below with reference to FIG. 6, these hand-warmer pockets 20 areparticularly useful for those hunters that wear chest-high waders overtheir coats.

[0037] In addition to the hand-warmer pockets 20, there are multipleouter storage pockets uniquely designed for easy access to hunting gear,when needed.

[0038] Referring back to FIG. 1, opposing shell pouches 30 are locatedon the outside of the jacket 10 where indicated. To optimally servetheir purpose as easy-access munitions stores, shell pouches 30 areequipped with spring-biased hinge openers that spring open to hold themouths of the pockets 30 in an open position until pushed shut toprevent spills. The shell pouches 30 are roomy pleated pockets sewn tothe outer shell of jacket 10 to provide ample storage capacity, and thespring-biased hinge openers are further described below.

[0039] In addition, a lateral game-call pocket 80 is located on theoutside of the jacket 10 where indicated at the breast, directlyadjacent to the zipper, for holding duck and other game calls. The gamecall pocket 80 opens laterally through the outer shell to an innerenclosure that runs horizontally away from the zipper. The game callpocket 80 is a quick and easy storage area for game calls, and it housesand protects the hunter's calls to prevent clanging together and thepossible loss of their reed stoppers. The game call pocket 80 alsoserves to protect the calls and call reeds from call freeze. A duckcall's reed can accumulate saliva. As a result, the cold and windexposure causes the saliva to freeze on the reed preventing blowing thecall. This call pocket 80 helps reduce the exposure to the cold reducingcall/reed freeze.

[0040]FIG. 5 is a close-up view of the game call pocket 80 which is asleeved pocket formed for lateral ingress and closed by a hemmed flapwith a magnetic snap closure 82. The opening of duck call pocket 80 canbe releasably sealed by magnetic closure 82, which couples together forcentral closure in the hemmed flap. The magnetic closure 82 comprises aset of opposing permanent magnet snaps that interlock solely by magneticforce, thereby allowing duck calls to be stored therein for ready accessby the hunter with his free hand. One of the snaps of magnetic closure82 is sewn to the underside of the hemmed flap, and the other is sewndirectly facing to the shell of coat 10. The greatest advantage of themagnetic closure 82 is its ability to minimize the sound of putting yourcall up. By having a magnet instead of a zipper or Velcro™, the user cansilently stow the calls and control the closure 82 for complete silence.Moreover, many game calls make unwanted noises when jostled about, butconfining them to a call stow-way call pocket 82 near the chest areaallows storage without making a noise. In addition, the magnetic closure82 minimizes the amount of dexterity needed to store or remove calls,and the upward placement of the duck call pocket 80 keeps the calls dryand safe. Again, this feature is helpful while wearing waders over thecoat 10 because it keeps the calls high on the chest and easilyaccessible.

[0041] Referring back to FIG. 1, located above the call pocket 80 andattached to the face of the coat is a call separator 90 for holding onegame call and for maintaining it in a ready-to-use position. It is notuncommon for the ducks to fly in view for a while and then disappear fora while. As a result, the waterfowl hunter does not always have his callready in his hand. When the ducks or geese suddenly appear, the huntermust quickly grab his call and oftentimes he inadvertently grabs thewrong call or looks away from the birds to select the correct call andmay miss an opportunity to shoot. The call separator 90 eliminates theseopportunities for error by providing a secure specific location for aparticular one of the hunter's favorite calls. This allows the hunter tograb the correct call when needed without looking to find the location.

[0042]FIG. 4 is a close-up view of the call separator 90. The callseparator 90 further comprises an elastic band sewn inside an expandingsleeve. The sleeve is sewn to the outer shell of jacket 10 at both endsto form an expandable collars for supporting one duck call. The hunterplaces his primary call in the separator 90 during the hunt so that itremains secure and separated, and back-up calls go into game call pocket80. When finished, the primary call is returned to the game call pocket80 for more secure storage and transport.

[0043] Referring back to FIG. 1, a zippered pouch 50 is positioned highon the coat at breast level on the opposing side of the zipper from thecall separator 90 and game call pocket 80. The zippered pouch 50 opensthrough the outer shell to an inner enclosure that runs horizontallyaway from the zipper.

[0044]FIG. 3 is a close-up view of the zippered pouch 50, which isreadily accessible from the outside of the coat, is for storing thehunter's license, keys, wallet, wireless phone, or the like, during thehunt. The location and the zipper of pouch 50 keep the hunter's personalitems high, dry and secure and more easily accessible while wearingwaders, etc.

[0045] In addition to equipment storage, a hunter often needs to storehis game. For example, when a hunter has just waded out on the marsh toretrieve a bird and now needs to whistle for his dog, he must stow thebird to free his hand. The hunting jacket 10 according to the presentinvention optionally includes a rearwardly disposed storage pouch 120(see FIG. 2) for temporary storage of game such as waterfowl. Storagepouch 120 is an oversize bellowed pouch sewn along the top and bottom tothe rear of the outer shell of jacket 100 and left open on both sides(with optional zipper closures) making it easily accessible simply byreaching back rearwardly and stuffing game therein. Storage pouch 120extends across the entire lower back, from hip to hip and from waist tolower back, and this wide expanse allows a hunter to gather andtemporarily stow up to six waterfowl whilst returning to his blind,without needing to carry a game bag. Stowage can be accomplished withone hand, leaving the other free to carry the shotgun or other gear. Thegame storage pouch 120 is located on the back of the jacket so that thewaterfowl do not impede the movement of the hunter. The game storagepouch 120 is also useful when chasing a downed bird that is on the move.

[0046] Certain of the foregoing features of the hunter's jacket 10 willnow be described in greater detail.

[0047]FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the use of thehand-warmer pockets 20 as in FIG. 1 in conjunction with chest waders. Ahunter must often stand for hours in the cold (sometimes icy waist-deepor higher water) waiting for the opportunity to shoot his prey. Often indeep water a hunter wears chest-high waders over his coat (as shown) soonly the upper portion of the coat is exposed. While standing andwaiting, the hunter must carry his shotgun and his hands are exposed tothe elements. Normal pockets would not be accessible for warming hishands, and gloves are no solution because the hunter must be able toquickly react, aim and shoot when the opportunity presents itself.Gloves impede hand dexterity. Consequently, the fleece-lined hand-warmerpockets 20 are designed into the jacket to allow the hunter to slip hishands inside while wading, but quickly remove them and grab his gun whennecessary. The two hand-warmer pockets 20 are located on either side ofthe jacket's front zipper, above the outer pockets at breastbone level.The opening to each pocket 20 is angled at approximately 20-30 degreesfrom vertical, and the inner fleece enclosures continue at an angle sothat the hunter can easily slip his hand into the warmer when his arm isbent at the elbow. The hand-warmer pockets at such a height and angleallows the hunter to warm his hands in a comfortable position whilewading in cold waist-deep or higher water.

[0048]FIG. 7 is a composite view of an exemplary shell pouch 30 as inFIG. 1 (shown full at A, empty and open at B, and partially disassembledat C). Each shell pouch 30 is a roomy pleated pocket sewn to the outershell of jacket 10, and the spring-biased hinge opener 72 is enclosed inthe margin of the pocket for quick releasing and to hold the mouths ofthe pockets 30 in an open position until pushed shut to prevent spills.The hinge opener 72 is preferably removable from the margin or inseam ofthe pocket, e.g., releasably enclosed therein (by fold, zipper or thelike) for removal, lubrication and/or cleaning of the hinge opener 72.

[0049]FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the spring-biased hingeopener 72 as used in FIG. 7. The spring-biased hinge opener 72 is amulti-segmented spring metal collar with four spring segments 78A-D eachbeing formed as a length of spring steel. The four spring segments 78A-Dare joined together by six stainless steel joiner sections 79A-E, whichmay be riveted, welded or otherwise joined end-to-end as shown. Four ofthe steel joiner sections 79A-E run to opposing hinges 77A & 77B at eachend. The segments 78A-D, joiners 79A-E and hinges 77A-B are attachedtogether as shown end-to-end to form a closed collar. While foursegments 78A-D and six joiners 79A-E are shown, more or less may be usedas a matter of design choice. The spring-biased hinge opener 72effectively forms a two-position hinge (open or closed), and the fixedlength of spring segments 78A-D imposes a self-bias against the hinges77A & 77B to maintain spring hinge 72 in either an open or closedposition, depending on the desire of the hunter. Referring back to FIG.7, the spring hinge 72 is enclosed within the seams 74 at themouth-opening of each pouch 30. The completed spring hinge 72 may beremovably incorporated into the seam 74 of the mouth-opening of eachpouch 40 by forming each mouth-opening with a sleeve adapted to receivethe hinge 72, and by incorporating a Velcro® or snap closures 82 aroundthe sleeves 74 to contain the spring hinge 72 therein. As alternativesto snaps 82, a zippered closure may be incorporated along the top ofsleeve 74 to removably contain the spring hinge 72. This removabilityfeature is important because it allows spring hinges 72 to be replacedif a given hinge 72 rusts or breaks, or simply if the user prefers notto employ them.

[0050] In operation, each spring hinge 72 can be snapped open with onehand to make shells immediately accessible, and the pocket 30 willremain in its spring-biased open position so the hunter can easily reachin and grab a shell. Conversely, when the hunter is not in need of theshells, the spring hinge 72 shuts tight to secure the shells, andremains in its spring-biased closed position to prevent them fromfalling out of the pocket. The hunter easily opens and shuts the pocket30 by pulling/pushing the outermost hinge outward or bysqueezing/pulling the metal hinges on flanking sides of the pocketopening. This process is much simpler than trying to zip/unzip a wettedzipper, and it can be accomplished with the hunter's free hand (theother being occupied with a shotgun).

[0051] The above-described jacket provides a warm, waterproof,practical, durable, and rugged hunter's coat specifically designed to beworn while hunting waterfowl, with a specific array of storage featuresand compartments each being specifically designed for waterfowl-huntingwith all of its above-described tribulations. The special placement ofeach compartment on the jacket facilitates use in waist-deep or higherwater, and the types of closures provide quick and easy access as wellas secure storage of all necessary waterfowl hunting items, includingduck calls, shells, slain waterfowl, etc.

[0052] Having now fully set forth the preferred embodiments and certainmodifications of the concept underlying the present invention, variousother embodiments as well as certain variations and modifications of theembodiments herein shown and described will obviously occur to thoseskilled in the art upon becoming familiar with said underlying concept.For example, although waterfowl coat 10 of FIG. 1 is described as awaist-length coat, there are other coat lengths and variations such asarmless coats or vests. In any case, the coat of the present inventioncan be provided in other lengths or as a vest, thereby providing thesame features as described herein. It is to be understood, therefore,that the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically setforth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A hunter's coat, comprising: an outer shellformed with a body and sleeves; a pair of hand-warmer pockets on thefront of the jacket at breastbone level, each hand-warmer pocketcomprising a sleeved pocket angled upward within a range of from 15-20degrees from horizontal for upward insertion of a hunter's hand therein,said pair of hand-warmer pockets comfortably warming both hands whilethe hunter remains in an arms-crossed-on-chest posture.
 2. The hunter'scoat according to claim 1, wherein the outer shell is made ofmicro-fleece.
 3. The hunter's coat according to claim 1, wherein thecoat is wader length.
 4. The hunter's coat according to claim 1, furthercomprising poly insulation.
 5. The hunter's coat according to claim 1,further comprising taped seams to ensure complete waterproofing.
 6. Thewaterfowl hunter's coat according to claim 1, further comprising aninsulated inner lining.
 7. The waterfowl hunter's coat according toclaim 1, wherein said insulated inner lining is removable.
 8. Thewaterfowl hunter's coat according to claim 7, wherein said insulatedinner lining is zippered for removal.
 9. A hunter's coat, comprising: anouter shell made of quiet waterproof material and formed with a body andsleeves, and coat sleeve cuffs at the distal ends of said sleeves, eachof said cuffs further comprising an elastic collar sewn inside astretchable fabric cuff.
 10. The hunter's coat according to claim 9,further comprising an adjustable belt encircling each of said coatsleeve cuffs for tightening or loosening as desired.
 11. The hunter'scoat according to claim 9, wherein said shell is formed with a pair ofunderarm gussets, and a plurality of rearward pleats for enhanced armmotion.
 12. The waterfowl hunter's coat according to claim 11, whereinthe coat is wader length.
 13. The waterfowl hunter's coat according toclaim 12, wherein said shell is sewn with taped seams to ensure completewaterproofing.
 14. A hunter's coat, comprising: an outer shell formed asa body having a front, back, and sleeves, a plurality of pockets on thefront of said shell, and a rear pocket on a back side of the shell forstoring slain game.
 15. A hunter's coat, comprising: an outer shellformed with a body and sleeves, and at least one ammunition pouchlocated on the front of the outer shell, said at least one oneammunition pouch further comprising an oversize pocket with inseam, anda dual-position spring hinge maintained in said inseam, said springhinge supporting the pocket in an open position until squeezed shut by auser.
 16. The hunter's coat according to claim 15, wherein said springhinge further comprises a resilient collar formed by a pair of opposinghinges joined by opposing spring-segments having a fixed length, thefixed length of said spring segments imposing a self-bias against thehinges to maintain the spring hinge in either an open or closedposition.
 17. The hunter's coat according to claim 16, wherein saidspring hinge is removable from the inseam of said pocket.
 18. Thehunter's coat according to claim 17, further comprising a rear pocket onthe back side of the coat for storing slain game.
 19. The hunter's coataccording to claim 15, further comprising a pair of hand-warmer pocketson the front of the jacket at breastbone level, each hand-warmer pocketcomprising a sleeved pocket angled upward within a range of from 15-20degrees from horizontal for upward insertion of a hunter's hand therein,said pair of hand-warmer pockets comfortably warming both hands whilethe hunter remains in an arms-crossed-on-chest posture.
 20. A dedicatedammunition shell pouch, comprising: a pocket having an inseam; a springhinge including a pair of hinges and a plurality of spring segmentsjoined end-to-end between said hinges to form an articulating collartherebetween; whereby the spring hinge is inserted into the inseam inthe pocket to create a spring biased opening enabling the pouch toremain in an open position and to snap shut.
 21. A hunter's coat,comprising: an outer shell formed with a body and sleeves, and a primarygame call separator comprising a stretchable collar sewn to the shellproximate breast-level for maintaining one game call in a readily usableposition.
 22. The hunter's coat according to claim 21, furthercomprising a game call pouch sewn to the shell proximate said game callseparator for storing a plurality of secondary game calls, said gamecall pouch having a flap-closure with magnetic snap-coupling.
 23. Thehunter's coat according to claim 22, further comprising at least oneammunition pouch located on the front of the outer shell, said at leastone ammunition pouch further comprising an oversize pocket with inseam,and a dual-position spring hinge maintained inside said inseam, saidspring hinge supporting the pocket in an open position until squeezedshut by a user.
 24. The hunter's coat according to claim 23, furthercomprising at least one zippered pouch at breast level opposite saidgame call pouch for storing personal items above water.